The German travel industry has taken a clear and forward-looking stance on Artificial Intelligence. In a newly published position paper, the Deutscher Reiseverband (DRV) identifies AI as a decisive driver for the future of both leisure and business travel—while emphasizing that technology must serve people, not replace them.
The paper, available for download on the DRV website, outlines how AI can reduce workloads for employees, accelerate internal processes, and significantly improve the customer experience across the travel value chain. At the same time, it calls for responsibility, transparency, and human-centered implementation.
“AI can meaningfully complement the strengths of our service-driven industry, but it does not replace people,” says Oliver Rengelshausen, Chairman of the DRV Digitalization Committee and Managing Director of Amadeus GmbH. “The decisive factor is using this technology with responsibility, transparency, and courage.”
AI Across the Entire Travel Value Chain
According to the DRV, AI is already transforming the travel industry—from automating back-office processes and enabling intelligent travel advice to deploying autonomous AI agents that can independently plan and execute tasks. AI is also reshaping how travelers search for information and make booking decisions, fundamentally changing sales and distribution channels.
The association sees strong potential for both leisure and corporate travel: AI can help address labor shortages, increase efficiency, and raise service quality—if applied thoughtfully.
Four Principles for Responsible AI
The DRV position paper defines four key principles to ensure AI delivers sustainable value:
- A clear and robust data strategy
- Protection of intellectual property
- Responsibility and reliable regulatory frameworks
- Systematic development of new skills and competencies
Beyond companies, the DRV explicitly calls on policymakers to help shape the transformation by creating clear rules and embedding AI skills into education and training systems.
A Collaborative Approach
Positioning itself as a platform for knowledge transfer and cooperation, the DRV aims to bring together policymakers, technology providers, and tourism businesses. The goal: turn innovation into market-ready solutions that benefit both customers and employees, while developing shared standards and pilot projects across the industry.
A Global Question for Travel and Tourism
Germany’s travel industry is now putting a structured, values-based AI framework on the table—balancing innovation with ethics, efficiency with human expertise.
The question for the global travel and tourism community is clear:Could this DRV model—human-centered, collaborative, and rule-based—serve as a blueprint for the worldwide travel industry? And are other destinations, associations, and governments ready to actively shape AI’s role in tourism, rather than simply reacting to it?
For an industry that thrives on trust, service, and human connection, the answer may define the future of global travel.
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